Dealing with Procrastination in your Life.

Procrastination is "delaying something you should do usually because you do not want to do it "...

To be able to procrastinate...

There are things you should do...

To procrastinate is, not doing it immediately...

Tomorrow is the only day that appeals to a lazy man,  take a notice at the times you procrastinate about something you should do but, hate doing, you feel happiness inside of you, you breathe a sigh of relief... You may be relieved at that moment but, when the works you should do pile up as a result of procrastination then, you see that there is no relief in procrastination.

There are times in which we can procrastinate about something, for instance, you may need to focus on a high priority work for some minutes, then you postpone the smaller priority works... You're not hiding yourself from the smaller works, you're just diverting all your attention to the high priority job, but, make sure you fix a time for it... You can even set a clock reminder...

Now, what are the consequences of procrastination???

1. Loss of opportunity :

You can loose a huge opportunity by procrastinating, the decision you ought to start taking now but, it's been delayed by you, can make you loose a great opportunity.

2. Inability to reach full potentials:

You won't reach your full potential if you run away from jobs you ought to be doing, all the works you ought to do today, if you procrastinate them, "I'll do it tomorrow "... By the time the works needs to be done urgently, you do it briefly and you won't even do it cheerfully...

3. Sometimes, tomorrow means NEVER..

4. Many smaller tasks turns to bigger task when piled up.
5. Nervousness and restlessness

6. Failure in business and all ramifications of life.

THEN, HOW CAN I STOP PROCRASTINATING???

1. Admit you hate doing the job...

You have to be true to yourself about the job...  After admitting you hate doing it, then, look at the things that would go wrong if you don't do it, don't be selfish, look at the people you would be hurting if you don't do it...

2. Self-discipline:

You've to discipline yourself to deal with procrastination... You don't have to FEEL like working before you start working.

The most difficult part in working is "starting it" as long as you lay your hand on the work to start doing it, procrastination disappears, so, whenever you want to do something you hate doing, don't fret much about it, just get up, lay your hands on it and start doing it.

3. Take responsibility of yourself :

Believe you're the anchor of your life, don't expect people to help you get your buttocks off the chair, people won't even help you if you don't do it, nobody would help you fix your mess...

4. Believe the work won't do itself

5.  If you think you're too busy to handle some smaller works, then, delegate the tasks to people to help you...  Or eliminate the work if it would have no consequences...

6. Eliminate excuses, give reasons :

Do you trick yourself by using excuses whenever you want to act???  Stop doing that, you don't have to wait till the light is green before you act, you won't grab opportunities if you wait till everything is right before acting and it'll be sarcastic if you blame your inaction on something or someone because, it is you that failed to act, it's not them them that failed to act... Eliminate excuses first... Then you give yourself no choice than to start acting...

7. Make a to-do list, plan your day:

You can plan your day by writing on paper the things you want to do and delegate time to it... Those works you love doing, place them after the ones you hate doing..., create time for them and don't compromise your list, if you compromise in one, you compromise in all... So, make sure you do everything on the list unless you're not chanced to do it at all...

8. Do things immediately :

Don't wait for works to pile up before doing them, no matter how much time small works may cost you, do them immediately.

9. Reward yourself :

Before you start doing the works you would likely procrastinate, place a reward for yourself and reward yourself after finishing the job maybe by eating lunch, going for a drink etc.

I believe with this strategies you'll be able to conquer procrastination in your life...
And don't forget " If you compromise in one area, you will end up compromising in all areas"...

Written by Alade Taiwo

Also read this article on procrastination by one of our authors